Debates of May 24th, 2024

Climate Change

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, when we formed government in 2015, Canada was not even protecting 1% of its territorial waters and coastlines. We are now at 15% and on our way to at least 30% by 2030, which is the goal that all countries agreed to at COP15 in Montreal.

We are investing record amounts, particularly in partnership with indigenous people across the country, to protect more and more of our territory.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the St. Lawrence River is the lifeblood of Quebec. It is the cradle of the Quebec nation, which has grown and developed along its shores over four centuries.

We now see that climate change is damaging those shores, threatening biodiversity and jeopardizing the survival of species that have been fished for generations.

In the meantime, the federal government is investing $34 billion in a dirty oil pipeline. Dirty oil is the primary cause of global warming. Ottawa is literally making Quebeckers pay to harm our own ecosystems.

How much longer will we agree to entrust our money to this irresponsible country?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois cannot be serious.

Members have before them the first government with credible targets and a plan to achieve net zero in 2050. We have a government that is looking out for our oceans by fighting against plastic and ready to implement a whole host of measures that will enable Canada to meet its Paris targets and will fight the effects of climate change, including in our St. Lawrence River.

Finance

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister, more Canadians are hungry and homeless. The number of tent cities is growing across the country, and the number of people lining up at food banks has grown to over two million and continues to climb. The Salvation Army reports that 26% of Canadians are skipping or reducing meals.

The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. When will he finally stop his inflationary spending, which is forcing Canadians to go hungry?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, in the member's constituency, where individuals might find themselves homeless, she can go back and show them the Leader of the Opposition's housing plan, which unfortunately says nothing about homelessness, zero. The Leader of the Opposition purports to present a vision for this country, but it is hollow. There is nothing there on so many issues, but specifically on homelessness. He has never cared about these issues. When it comes to supporting Canadians on a range of matters from homelessness to child care, pharmacare and dental care, Conservatives have been silent. They do not care.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. After nine years of the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister, more Canadians are losing their home and going hungry. The number of Canadians who have reported food security challenges has increased, and 26% are skipping meals. Costs continue to rise and the government's plan to raise taxes will only make it worse. Canadians are losing hope.

The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. When will he finally admit his inflationary policies are hurting Canadians?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, our government has a track record of leading with compassion and initiating programs that address the needs of the most vulnerable. Emergency food programs are certainly part of the support system for people who have immediate needs and are struggling to put food on the table.

Let us review this. Food Banks Canada said that the national school food program was a vital initiative. If the Conservatives are aligning themselves with Food Banks Canada, then why would they oppose a vital initiative, the national school food program, that is going to feed over 400,000 children?

Carbon Pricing

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister, more Canadians are hungry and homeless. The Salvation Army is reporting that 26% of Canadians have been forced to skip meals because they cannot afford to buy groceries.

Our country is suffering under the government and its Prime Minister, who is not worth the cost. When will he axe the tax so that Canadians can afford to eat again?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, Food Banks Canada and its member organizations right across this country do essential work and important research, and I want to thank them for that. It has actually made some recommendations in its report, which the Conservatives have clearly not read. It recommends more supports for the working poor, like our Canada workers' benefit. It recommends improved social security, which Conservatives gutted when they were in power, while we have increased, improved and modernized the Canada child benefit and brought forward the Canada disability benefit.

While the Conservatives continue to put words in the mouths of poverty elimination experts and Food Banks Canada, we will continue to put food on the table with the national school food program, improve the national Canada child benefit and put money in pockets with the Canada carbon—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member for Cumberland—Colchester.

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it was interesting that yesterday at a meeting, the member for Milton said he was shocked to hear the report of how many Canadians were actually hungry. Even though the Liberals are continuing to announce programs to fix the problems they have created, we need a significant change in government.

Once again, according to the Salvation Army, parents are skipping meals so their children and other family members can eat. Canadians should not have to live like this. After nine years, of course, the Liberal coalition government is not worth the cost.

Again, I will ask, when will the Prime Minister axe the tax so that Canadians can afford to eat again?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the member is from Atlantic Canada, and I have never heard anyone from Atlantic Canada suggest that we cut the Canada child benefit, that we cut and vote against the school nutrition program or that we cut an entire housing program designed to remedy the housing problems in Atlantic Canada.

The member should stand up for once to the leader who has an austerity agenda and wants to cut the very supports that are keeping his constituents and helping his constituents meet the current cost of living issue.

The Environment

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, people in Victoria want to know that our coast and our endangered southern resident killer whales are protected. New reports show that cruise ships docking in Victoria are jeopardizing the orcas by dumping billions of litres of polluted waste water into the ocean. The United States has stricter laws, so under the Liberals' watch, cruise ships wait and dump in Canadian waters. They are even dumping in marine protected areas. The Liberals' regulations are woefully inadequate, and with the Conservatives, there would be even fewer rules.

Will the Liberals stop making the B.C. coast a dumping ground for polluted cruise waste?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Victoria for her consistent advocacy for a cleaner environment and a greener future for all of Canada. Indeed, it is refreshing to stand up to talk about how we can protect this planet and how we can fight climate change, rather than whether we fight climate change. Her concerns with respect to the coast and the dangers to whale species and waterborne mammals are important to us and our government.

I would love to sit down and talk about local issues in Victoria and ensure that the government is supporting all vital endangered species.

Canadian Heritage

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, CKUA is a source of music, arts and community as one of Edmonton's most beloved public broadcasters, but it is facing a perfect storm with inflation and the cost of living crisis. It needs our help during these tough times. While other Canadian broadcasters receive federal help in similar circumstances, CKUA is being left behind. CKUA supports local Canadian artists and brings Edmontonians together.

Will the Liberals stand up for Edmonton and our local media, and help out CKUA in its time of need, or will they continue to ignore it?

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, our government has been there to support media from across this country from coast to coast to coast, from small communities to large ones. Much of the support for small communities would have been flowing had Conservatives not chosen to obstruct the passage of legislation that would have had money flowing to small community broadcasters across this country.

We are going to keep working hard for those broadcasters, and we are not going to stop until Canadians have that voice from coast to coast to coast.

Justice

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on Monday our government unveiled a national action plan on combatting auto theft. The plan will work in conjunction with budget 2024 to keep communities safe from auto theft crime. Insurance crime experts have already called the plan a turning point for auto theft in Canada.

Can the Minister of Justice please highlight one of the concrete steps in the national plan that will make communities safer?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the rise in auto theft in our country is not caused by one-off incidents of teenagers taking a joyride; it is perpetrated by networks of organized criminals. That is why we are cracking down on organized crime. These crime rings prey on teenagers to do their dirty work, so we are adding an amendment to the Criminal Code to add a new aggravating factor to make tougher sentences for those who use young persons in the commission of an offence. We are also raising the maximum penalty for those who use violence during a daylight carjacking.

We are going to stop auto theft. We are going to stop organized criminals who are taking advantage of our kids. Enough is enough.

The Economy

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, more Canadians are hungry and homeless than ever before. One in four Manitobans does not have enough money to buy groceries and feed their family. Home prices are out of control and rent has skyrocketed to the point that people cannot afford to put a roof over their head.

How can the Prime Minister keep a straight face and try to tell 40% of Manitobans who are now paying more than 30% of their income for housing that everything in this country is, in fact, fine? Are Manitobans just experiencing it differently?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I apologize in advance for not being able to take the Conservative Party seriously with its new-found empathy for Canadians who are struggling with the cost of living. It is not willing to step up. Any time our compassionate government leads with responsible solutions that try to lift up people who are vulnerable, the Conservatives vote against. They vote against dental care, child care and pharmacare. They vote against the national school food program.

How on earth can we expect anyone to take their new, feigned interest in Canadians who are struggling seriously?

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister, more Canadians are hungry and homeless. Food insecurity in Alberta is now over 27%, and just yesterday the Edson Food Bank shared its latest data with me. It is now dealing with almost triple the food bank usage compared to 2020.

The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. Will he stop his reckless inflationary spending and cancel the quadrupling of the carbon tax so Canadians can afford to put food on their table?

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to share today some of the feedback on our announcement of a national school food program in budget 2024.

The Coalition for Healthy School Food released a statement applauding the federal government for the investment and urging all provinces and territories to sign on to the new policy to provide nutritious, culturally appropriate, sustainable and affordable food to school children across this country.

On this side of the House, we will continue to make investments in children and family. On that side of the House, they need to explain to Canadians why they will not support feeding children.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister, more Canadians are hungry and homeless. One in four Canadians is experiencing food insecurity. Food Banks Canada even gave the NDP-Liberal government a failing grade. Forty per cent of Saskatchewan residents have visited a food bank, and 35% are worried about putting a meal on the table for their family.

The Prime Minister is not worth the cost, so why does he tell Canadians we have never had it so good?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, this is rich coming from people who sat in a government that led through Canada's worst economic performance in the last 30 years after the 2008 financial crisis. They had no idea what to do, no idea how to get Canadians back on their feet. We have gone through a global pandemic. We have put in place measures to save not just businesses but also people's livelihoods to get this country back on its feet. There has been 130% employment since before the pandemic.

They want to cut the Canada carbon rebate. They want to cut the Canada child benefit. They are about cuts. We are here to support Canadians each and every day.

Carbon Pricing

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. According to the 2024 poverty report, 44% of Canadians are paying more than 30% of income on housing, which is a big F for the government. The NDP-Liberal government gets an A+ only when it comes to creating disastrous policies. The member for Whitby previously stated that we “are going to have to shift our lifestyles, and that is going to be painful”. Is this the kind of pain he was talking about?

How much more pain will the Liberal-NDP government intentionally inflict upon Canadians before it axes the carbon tax?